Sick Again

I'm canceling the second show in a row, due to whatever bug I have. I hate canceling shows. But the fact is I'm hoarse and raspy and prone to coughing fits when I take a deep breath. And you have to take deep breaths to sing, and hoarse and raspy is not my singing style. If it were, I'd be there tonight.

What I really hate is that this is the second cancelation in a row. The last being two weeks ago, when I had most of the same symptoms plus a fever. I know they say "the show must go on", but who the hell are "they" anyway? And why do they want me to perform when I'm sick?

Halloween Gig

I played a Halloween show at the Riverview last night. In the spirit of the holiday I wore zombie make-up. I wanted to wear a costume that allowed me to sing and play, so a mask or anything that interfered with my guitar playing was out. So I got some liquid latex, nose putty, and some make-up and created my zombie look. It turned out pretty good, and it was easy to perform. And I got used to the tightness of the latex on my face after a while.

The gig itself was pretty good--started slow but the place filled up in time. It was a solo gig--I never got an answer from Conor about playing, and I didn't even bother asking Dennis because I knew he'd be out trick-or-treating with Ruby. I like the freedom of playing a solo gig--I can do whatever I feel like doing. I had some fun with the looping pedal, layering sounds, starting with a bass line using the octave pedal, add an acoustic guitar, then a little shaker, then switch to the strat for another part, then play a little harmonica solo on top of that.

And I debuted a new "tool"--I bought a Shadow stombbox--which is a small wooden box with a pickup in it that you play with your foot. You plug it right into the PA, and it adds a kick drum effect to your sound. I ran it through a gated reverb on some songs--sounded pretty cool. It was a little fatiguing to play though. You always had to be in one place tapping it with your foot. I found it better to turn it around and hit it with my heal, which feels more natural for me. "Wow, that's really boring, Jim" I hear you saying.

But the gig was fun--Kelly kept bringing me beers before I finished the one I was on, so I had two going most of the night. Nothing wrong with that.

By the way, wearing liquid latex, nose putty, and make-up for seven hours is not that great of an idea. This morning my face is all red--looks and feels just like a sunburn.

Private Party

OK, I've been fairly inactive this summer. I'll admit it. The usual summer parks gigs did not materialize, for some reason. I can't help but think that it might be because I'm friends with the booker's ex-boyfriend, but would she really be that way? Nah--I don't think so. But none the less, I sent in my dates available (at her request) and nothing became of it. Oh well. It's not like those gigs pay much, if anything. It was more of an exposure opportunity.

Tomorrow I have a private party to play. I have been playing benefits for Wishes And More the past few years, and someone who saw me at one of those shows contacted me to play their party. So off I go. My first thought was to get Dennis to play sax with me, but he's not available. And I thought about getting Connor to play percussion, but I'm guessing he's booked with his other band. And this would be VERY short notice. So I'll play the show solo, which is what they are expecting anyway.

Four hours solo! Haven't done that in a long time. Not since college anyway.

Lake Harriet Bandshell 6/24/08

Well it was a good show I think. I had a few friends show up, Jeff Pedersen (who took some great photos), John Warner and his wife Patty, Sue Strand and my wife Monica. Some members of the mailing list were there as well. I know this because one person filled out a mailing list request card, requesting to be removed from the list! He said he could follow my shows on my website. That was a first, I must say. But no problem, he's off. I have often wondered about the people I send postcards to, whether or not they read the cards and come to the shows. Every now and then someone will stop by the stage after a show and tell me they are on the mailing list, so that's nice to know. But I'm sure there are lots of people who don't make the shows. Presumably they filled out a card at a show, wanting to be on the mailing list. A few did tonight as well.

But I digress. It was a good sized crowd, enjoying a fine summer evening. I really couldn't have gotten better weather. Bruce and Dennis did a fantastic job, as always.

But there's one thing I'm going to start doing differently. I think I'm going to bag the drum tracks coming from the looping pedal. The justification always was that it is me playing the drums on those loops--they are drum tracks from the recording sessions for the songs. And today plenty of bands use loops onstage. And, lacking a drummer, I thought it lent a good rendition of the recorded version of the songs. But there's just too much chance for error, and no chance at all to stretch out and improvise. Plus, there's a "old skool" streak in me that says it's just a little too close to bogus.

I should have known; last night when Bruce and I were rehearsing I often thought the straight no-loops versions we were practicing sounded pretty good. I should've gone with my instincts. Oh well, you experiment and you learn. No big deal.

Next show--July 7 at Father Hennepin Bluff Park in Minneapolis.